Twin Souls: First Recognition
by Ghost Whisper
Summary: Did you ever stop to think tht perhaps your dreams weren't what you thought? That somewhere along the line, you began to live a double life? What if you could meet your other half? Takeru will. Digimon/Harry Potter crossover
1. Prologue: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Silver Angel: Well minna, I know I really shouldn't be starting another story, seeing as I have about 7 others that I'm working on, but I just couldn't help me. All those reading this who are authors probably understand. You get an idea, and you just can't seem to let it go.  
  
In any case, here is this prologue. I hope you like it, and please Review! ^_^  
  
  
  
Twin Souls  
  
  
  
Prologue: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream  
  
  
  
Have you ever had a dream that was so familiar, you were sure that you had dreamt it before? Maybe it was so real, that you were sure you were dreaming a possible future; that events could unfold exactly the way they did in your sleep unless you changed your destiny's course.  
  
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps it wasn't a dream? And somewhere along the way, you began to lead a double life? You live what you think is your life during the day, and at night you are a whole different person; one who is equally real. Two worlds; one waking, one sleeping; both equally real.  
  
What would happen then, if a single soul could exist in both? What would happen if chance allowed one half to move into the other's realm of existence? How would you react, if you met the one who held your soul in this other world? Would it be the end of one world, or both?  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ dream ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Kill the spare" An evil looking man who resembled a snake gestured to the boy who he knew was beside him. Though he couldn't see his companion, he felt the other's fear at those three words.  
  
The black haired boy looked on in horror as one of the many men surrounding them, wearing black robes and white masks the color of bones stepped forward. The masked man raised his wand, the tip glowing eerily in the waning light of sundown. "Avada Kedavra!"  
  
Two words, accompanied by a flash of green light, and the boy that was next to him was laying on the ground, his eyes staring vacantly skyward. "No!" he found himself screaming.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ end dream ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TK sat up in the night darkened room, his heart thudding painfully quick against his ribs. His breath came in short gasps, which he found himself unable to control. That dream. he could have sworn that he'd had it before. But he have remembered if he'd had a dream that awful?  
  
He shuddered as a chill breeze entered the room from his open window, drying the cold sweat that had drenched his body. His sheets were still slightly damp, but he didn't want to risk waking his mom in order to change them. What would she say if she found him sneaking around in the middle of the night? Instead, he pulled his large comforter tighter about himself and struggled to forget the cause of his waking.  
  
As he drifted off into sleep, he noticed a small golden glow on the dresser next to where he kept his digivice. Thinking it was jus the moon, he ignored it, and soon left the waking world.  
  
Though he slept deeply for the rest of the night, still he dreamed. He wouldn't remember them upon waking of course. No one ever can see too much of what is another life. The fact that he realized his dream was familiar in itself made him special.  
  
While he slept soundly once more, TK didn't realize that the golden glow hadn't been the moon. It had, in fact, been his crest. After several years, it had finally returned heralding a new development in his never uneventful life. Destiny had just lost a game with chance, and the consequences were only now beginning.  
  
  
  
Silver Angel: Well minna, here was the prologue. I have a few ideas for the next chapter already, so hopefully it should be out in not too long. Please don't hesitate to give me any comments or suggestions. Ideas are always welcome, as are reviews! ^_^ 


	2. Chapter 1: A Wizards Soul

Silver Angel: Hello anyone who is reading this! I know I put the next chapter up really soon, but I just couldn't help myself. Oh, and Kudos to anyone who can see my subtle (yeah right) hint about what is happening to TK! Review please!  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: Wizards Soul  
  
Harry woke up with a small cry, clutching at the lighting shaped scar on his forehead with fingers that twitched spasmodically. His slender form was wracked with uncontrollable shudders, and he gasped for breath, setting his head down on to his knees with a quiet moan.  
  
His dreams had started out normal enough - for him that is. It was just the average overdone nightmares that he had been having all summer since Cedric's death at the end of his fourth year at Hogwarts. Soon after they began, some part of his mind had told him that they were not normal however.  
  
The dream had begun with him and Cedric grasping the port key together and appearing right in the midst of a large group of Death Eaters. It was then, just as he was about to be captured by Voldemort, that everything had - blurred.  
  
For a moment, strange images of creatures he hadn't seen in any of his books played themselves through his head. A small orange creature with ears that were being used as wings, a pink bird the size of a cat. As fast as the images appeared and moved through their designated paces, they rewound and replayed themselves, each time appearing as if someone had cast a different illusion spell on them, and fouled them all up. They went form too fuzzy to see details; covered with black like silhouettes, to appearing to dissolve into thousands of tiny particles.  
  
Finally, they had righted themselves, and he found himself standing on top of a strange mountain, holding a tiny glowing device, which could have been one of Dudley's new computer toys, in his hands, and looking up while an angel fought a demon. The angel appeared to win, but both began to dissolve just as the final blast was thrown.  
  
It was at that point, that he had been flung back into his dream of Voldemort, only this time, he had seen a strange symbol flowing golden in the air, just before waking up.  
  
"I wonder why it was different this time," he muttered quietly to himself, so as not to wake his Uncle Vernon. "Maybe I can owl Hermione and ask if she knows anything about that symbol. . ."  
  
  
  
TK groaned and rolled over in his bed as his alarm clock went off. Keeping his head buried under a pillow, one groping hand made its way out from under the covers to slam down on the infernal machine and shut it off.  
  
'Silence; blessed silence,' he thought. 'Maybe if I', lucky, Mom will have forgotten about me, and I'll get to sleep a few more minutes. When no words were immediately forthcoming, he sighed in relief and piled the blanket higher on himself and over his head, blocking out the morning sunlight. He was just about to fall back asleep, when what he had dreaded occurred.  
  
"Takeru!" his mother called. "Hurry up and get out of bed young man, or you'll be late for school!" The sounds of dishes clattering, and the smell of bacon frying dragged him partially out of his slumber.  
  
TK sighed and pushed the warm blankets off. "School. who needs it." he mumbled, still trying to shake away the cotton balls which seemed to have taken up residence in his mind. 'I really need to do something about these nightmares.' He thought.  
  
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he dug blindly through the mess in his closet, searching for his had. 'Now where could I have put it if it's not in my closet,' he wondered. Stifling a yawn, he stumbled blearily back to his bed, intending to search under it. His eyes widened briefly when he saw it sitting on top of his pillow.  
  
'Wow' he thought. 'I must have been more tired than I realized if I missed that. Glancing up at the alarm clock, he shook off the remains of sleep and nearly swore. He was going to be late!  
  
  
  
Silver Angel: Well, another short chapter. I could have waited and made it longer, but I thought this was enough, and I couldn't help myself. Please review everyone! ^_^ 


	3. Chapter 2: A Dreamer's Soul

Silver Angel: Hey minna! Here's the next chapter. I'm happy to say that it is longer that the past ones. Hopefully, I can keep the trend. If nothing else, I promise to update fairly often, and I'll try to make my chapters at least a thousand words. ^_^ Thanks to all the peoples who reviewed!  
  
And to Jesse Matsuda: ::bows:: I'm so happy you like my metaphor! Go ahead and use it any time! ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: A Dreamers Soul  
  
TK panted for breath as he dashed headlong down the street to catch up with Kari on his way to school. It was just his luck that he would pull a Davis and sleep in on a school day. Up ahead, his eyes caught the flash of light from the sun glinting off a camera.  
  
"Hey Kari!" he yelled. "Wait up, will ya?!"  
  
Slowing down, she giggled slightly as he walked next to her and gasped for breath from his exertions. He may have been the star of the basketball team, but he wasn't good at extended bouts of running. "Sleep in TK?"  
  
He nodded ruefully. "Yeah, I guess I must have set my alarm clock wrong. I probably would have went back to sleep too, if it hadn't been for my mom yelling at me to get up."  
  
Kari turned her head, chestnut brown hair shining almost golden in the sun. "Didn't you get enough sleep then? You're usually such a morning person, that it's irritating." She smiled playfully, and TK gave her a small shove.  
  
"No, I think I had a nightmare, but I don't really remember what it was about now." He yawned, the conversation reminding him of the interruption to his sleep. 'Man,' he thought. 'I wish I had something to wake me up.' As if on cue, thunder growled loudly above their heads, and thick gray storm clouds rolled in.  
  
The blond haired boy looked up wide-eyed. 'Talk about sudden showers.!'  
  
"Come on Kari, we'd better run, or we'll be soaked for sure!"  
  
Unluckily for them, TK's prediction ended up being all too true, and they walked into the classroom dripping water everywhere, and looking slightly like drowned rats.  
  
"Heh.well I wished for something to wake me up," he told her, laughing. "I think a cold shower definitely fits into that category!"  
  
Kari grimaced, and wrung some of the water out of her hair. "You'll have to start being careful with those wishes then Takeru. Next time you might end up ruining my camera. Then you'll really have to watch out." She lifted the object in question up from its cord and checked it over carefully, turning it this way and that.  
  
"Hey! You can't blame me for crazy weather!"  
  
She grinned. "Of course I can! It was your wish!"  
  
He growled and lunged at her, abruptly turning it into a fall towards his desk when the teacher walked into the room. Quickly straitening himself into the position of a model student, he gazed intently forward, as if he were eager to get on to the 'learning experience'.  
  
'Not that I wouldn't rather be sleeping,' he thought tiredly, his lack of sleep catching up with him once more. 'I may not have woken up for long, but I feel like I ran a marathon last night.'  
  
The teacher began talking about linear equations, and he immediately shifted his text -book up to cover the jaw creaking yawn that struck him. 'I just don't understand what could be making me this tired,' he thought. As the x's and y's piled up on the chalkboard, his eyelids began drooping, while he struggled to remain aware.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kari looking at him in concern as he continued his fight against sleep. Giving her a small wave of reassurance, he passed her a quick note.  
  
-Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Just tired. -TK  
  
He himself began to wonder however, as sleep pressed harder and harder against him. 'What the heck is wrong with me?' he wondered, as he sank his head tiredly onto his arms, and then to his desk. Finally losing the battle, he allowed his eyes to fall shut. The teachers voice faded into a pleasant drone in the background, and then finally silence as he felt slumber steal him away from the world.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A giant snake - 'Basilisk' a voice in his head told him; - was chasing him through was seemed to be a large set of underground tunnels. The basilisk was enormous he knew, but all he could see of it was the shadow, as it slithered quickly through the dark tunnels, it's scales making a dry rasping sound.  
  
'Don't look back! Don't look back!' something said over and over in his head. It soon became a kind of chant, spoken mentally to the rhythm of his feet splashing in the puddles on the floor.  
  
~FLASH~  
  
The scene had changed. He was on top of a high ledge now; a gleaming sword in his hands, as he pointed it at the now blinded face of the serpent. The snake lunged forward. 'Move!' he shouted silently to himself. At the same time, he stabbed the basilisk through the throat with the sword.  
  
He didn't seem to be fast enough though; and one of the enormous white fangs stabbed him in the arm, still dripping with saliva and toxins. As he cried out in pain, he felt the poison slowly seeping through his limbs and weakening all of the muscles.  
  
He felt himself falling to his knees, emerald/sapphire eyes clouding over slightly. He couldn't die yet though! Everyone was still depending on him! He couldn't die yet!  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
With a cry, TK shot up in his desk, white faced and sweating, as tremors wracked his slender body. His spiky golden bangs were plastered to his forehead, and his eyes stared blankly ahead, still caught up in the terror of the dream, or vision - whatever it was.  
  
The class was staring at him, and the teacher walking forward, a concerned look on her face. "Mr. Takashi?" Reaching him, she placed one hand on his still trembling shoulder, drawing his eyes to her as he came back to himself with a start. "Are you alright Takeru? You don't usually fall asleep in my class. Do you need to go to the nurse?"  
  
Taking stock of himself, TK realized that he was still shaking. I didn't feel as if the tremors would stop any time soon either. To add to that, he still felt tired. 'Though how that could be after a nightmare like that, is beyond me.' Smiling weakly up at her, he nodded. "I think I do sensei." He gathered up his bag and left the room, occasionally twitching as he suppressed a tremble.  
  
"Mizuno-sensei," Hikari piped up. "Do you want me to take Takeru up there, and make sure nothing happens to him?" The teacher accepted, waving Kari out the door after TK.  
  
  
  
Silver Angel: Well, there it is people. I'm sure you can guess by now who the other half of his soul is. I'll try to make the next chapter at least this long, or maybe longer. I'll also try my best to have it come out soon. Working on about seven stories at the same time can really stress you out for updates, but I will try!  
  
Please Review! ^_^ 


	4. Chapter 3: A Deity's Soul

Silver Angel: ::gets thwacked on head with Golden Wand Of Inspiration::  
  
Takeru: Yep, I think Silver's lost it. She wrote this chapter in about two hours!  
  
Silver Angel: Yeah well that's what this is for! ::waves wand:: I was struck on the head with about five different ideas, and I had to just start writing the chapter and writing and writing. Hehehehe! Mwaa-haaa-haaa! On with Chapter 3! ^_^  
  
Harry: Silver Angel doesn't own Digimon or Harry Potter. They belong to their respective creators.  
  
Silver Angel: Thanks Harry! I almost forgot!  
  
This Chapter is dedicated to Jesse Matsuda, who gave me the idea for it when she commented on my metaphor in chapter 1. I decided to make it more! ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: A Divine Soul  
  
The tall figure, also known as the deity Chance, stood among the silent staring faces of his colleagues in the darkened avenues of the Celestial Hall. Pinpricks of light shone overhead, though only their maker, Light, knew whether they were real stars, or magical illusions.  
  
"Magic's promise has been broken," he said; his words falling into the stillness like a large stone. "Even now the balance between opposites is failing, and light and dark are not remaining equals. It is only a matter of time before this changes, and the light side falls." None commented on this announcement, and Chance continued.  
  
"One of our number has been struggling within the worlds to right was has happened, but his power is waning, and he can not hold out much longer. Soon, he will fall, and the balance will be completely broken."  
  
He gestured to a large foggy mirror on the wall beside him, turning his head to gaze along with the other assembly members, as the grayish mist began to glow a brilliant green, before settling on a single image.  
  
A boy, no older than sixteen lay on the ground in the middle of a forest, his emerald eyes gazing blankly upwards. That he was dead was plain to see. His neck was bent at an odd angle - broken. One could also see, upon closer examination, that a lightning bolt shaped cut had been cruelly gouged on one side of his forehead, as if in mockery of the thin white scar of the same shape on the other side of his face.  
  
Angry mutter filled the large chamber all the way from the lower chairs of the junior members, to the highest of balconies, where sat the eldest of the assembly. "This shall come to pass within scant weeks unless there is intervention." Chance told the other gods assembled. Though some looked skeptical, most had been monitoring the worlds, and knew the truth of what was being said.  
  
"Trouble is arising in all of the worlds," one of the elders spoke up, his powerful voice echoing from above. "In each world, something will happen to the Keeper of Hope. We can not allow one of our members to fall."  
  
"When Hope allowed himself to be incarnated as a mortal, he managed to temporarily stabilize the balance between the light and darkness in the worlds. What he didn't know - what none of us knew - was that because of his status as an immortal and his influence in the assembly and the worlds, he was reincarnated not once, but as a separate entity in each and every world." The elder fell silent, allowing the information to sink in for all the assembly members who had allowed themselves to fall into seclusion.  
  
"But what about the others who chose to be reincarnated?" One of the younger members asked. "What of Courage? And Light?"  
  
Chance answered this time, as the current Speaker in the assembly. "Some of them were reincarnated in several worlds," he told them. "But none in all worlds, except Hope. He is the only one who can exist on his own, without another deity or force to act in counterpoint, thus he can exist in any world, with or without his opposite form."  
  
He cleared his throat, dismissing the grisly image from the mirror, that some of the gods were still staring at in sick fascination. "Most of that is beside the point, however," he told them. "What is important is that we have found a possible way to steady the balance in Magic's world."  
  
"And how might that be?" Power asked peevishly. As an elder, and the god representing power, he always spoke as if her were better than al. Chance was irritated with him almost constantly, but tried to placate him. They would need his help if they wanted to carry through with this plan.  
  
"Because Hope's soul is mirrored throughout the worlds, we can create a temporary link, and unite two of his selves. His influence over the worlds will increase enough, that he may be able to restore the balance."  
  
Power continued to huff, and crossed his arms across his chest. "You want me to give that one even more influence?" Chance sighed, and prepared to argue his case once more, but Power waved him to silence. "Fine, fine. The promise must be kept." The other members of the assembly also seemed agreeable.  
  
"Are there any objections?" he asked, making sure of his support. When none said nay, he continued. "Then we shall all meet here in two hours for the Ritual of Worlds." So saying, he dismissed the assembly, quickly leaving the hall amongst the crowd of his peers so that he could make preparations for the ritual in his workroom.  
  
"Chance!" A voice called out, startling him out of his thoughts, to see Destiny waving at him from the other side of a group of minor deities. "I see you've been keeping an eye on Hop since he was incarnate then?" she asked once she had made her way over to his side. "That would be why you made that bet with me in order to return his crest."  
  
Chance looked defensive for a moment, then softened. "Of course I'm looking out for him Destiny. He's like a little brother to me. It's strange, seeing as he has a lot more power that I ever will, but I want to protect him. He's always had this youthfulness and innocence about him. . . I'm not just going to abandon him because he's mortal right now!"  
  
He crossed his arms and gave her a hard look, pretending to be annoyed. "Anyways, I had Dream make me a set of special mirrors; one so that I can watch over him, and one to communicate with him while he's in the worlds."  
  
Destiny looked at him wide-eyed. "But you know contact with mortals is forbidden Chance! Even if they used to be one of us! Why would you do something like that, even with the possibility of being cast out?"  
  
Chance glared at her. "Of course I know it's forbidden," he growled. "It's only just in case!" He began striding away from her, quickly widening the gap between them.  
  
"Wait! Where - "  
  
"I'm going to my work room to prepare for the ritual." Chance told her curtly. "And in the mean time, you'd better not breath a word about those mirrors! It'll be both our skins if someone finds out!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Kings Cross Station was rather crowded for this time of year. Many more people than usual had crowded onto the platforms where the trains were stopped, waiting for passengers to embark before setting off on their destinations.  
  
Glancing quickly through the crowds, Harry managed to catch a glimpse of bright red hair, and followed it to its source in a large family. Seeing that it was the Weasley's, he quickly made his way through the congested station to where they were standing.  
  
"Hello Mrs. Weasley," he greeted. His best friends mother turned and smiled at him over her shoulder, still struggling with a few of the things on one of the carts. "Let me help you with that." He said, before she could answer; quickly pushing the trunk into a more steady position, and adjusting the straps holding it in place.  
  
"Thank you Harry," she said a trifle breathlessly, once they had gotten everything in order. "I swear, each year these trunks get heavier and heavier. I think this year Fred must have put stones in his." She adjusted the blue sweater she was wearing, and gave him a welcoming hug. "You've gotten bigger as well I see. Grown up a lot from the boy who first asked me how to get to the platform."  
  
He flushed slightly, and glanced down at the ground self-consciously. "Is Ron about anywhere Mrs. Weasley?"  
  
"He'll be here in a moment dear. He just went with his father to help with Ginny's cart. Fred and George are already on the train, so you arrived just in time to board with him." She looked over his shoulder. "There he is now."  
  
Harry turned around to greet his best friend, who had also grown it seemed. Ron was still taller than Harry though. He had shot up about three inches over the summer, and was now about 5'9, compared with Harry's 5'6. 'At least I'm not quite so scrawny any more,' he thought. 'And being smaller does give me a bit of an advantage in Quidditch.'  
  
"Hullo Harry," his friend said. "I see you've gotten taller too, though you're still smaller than me." He grinned, and Harry made a face at him.  
  
"Hi Ron," he said, choosing to ignore the comment. "Hey Ginny." Ron's little sister blushed but said nothing. Harry, Ron and Ginny said good-bye to Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, and then began steering their trunks towards the familiar wall with the small sign that said 'Platform 9 ¾'  
  
The trio met up with Hermione on the train in their usual compartment, and Ron and Harry began a heated debate about which players were most likely to be picked for England's national team in the European tournament next year.  
  
The train ride was rather uneventful until Draco came up to their compartment, trying to start a fight with them as usual. "Hello Potter," he said, sneering. "I see your still the scrawny one. Even the Weasel has outgrown you on what must be an obviously small amount of food, considering the amount - or non-amount of money his family has."  
  
Ron turned, his eyes narrowing in anger, and Harry glared at the blond- haired Slytherin. "At least he won't be too big for his broomstick Malfoy!" Hermione shot back. "You certainly must have been enjoying all your meals, - a little too much if you ask me."  
  
Malfoy smirked at her, but the anger was unmistakable in his eyes. "Well if isn't the Mudblood trying to insult me. I think it's rather amusing that someone like you would try to insult your betters."  
  
Ron stood up, looking like he was about to pummel the Slytherin, but was restrained by Harry who gave Draco a hard look. "Sod off Malfoy. I've been looking for an excuse to try out a new ferret repelling charm - if you want, I could try it on you."  
  
Malfoy glared at Harry, and whirled around, stalking out of the compartment. "Did you see his face Harry?" Ron laughed. "He looked like he wanted to tackle you when you mentioned ferrets." Harry grinned and sat back down.  
  
"So Harry," Hermione asked him when they had calmed down. "Tell me about those dreams you mentioned in your last letter. You said they were different. How? And has your scar been hurting you during them as well?"  
  
"Only in the parts with Voldemort," he told her truthfully. "The others, well - actually, I get a kind of warm feeling during them. The dreams themselves aren't that pleasant - what I remember of them - but I get this weird feeling like someone's there with me, trying to make me feel better."  
  
Hermione listened and pursed her lips at the end of his explanation. After a minute or so of thinking, she finally came up with a possible answer for him. "Well, Maybe it's some kind of omen that you'll defeat Voldemort soon," she decided at last.  
  
"I thought you didn't believe in omens Hermione," Ron teased, grinning impudently at her.  
  
She scowled, giving him a shove. "Seriously Harry; it is possible. Trelawny may be a fraud for the most part, but even she's had a genuine prediction; and just because there's a lot of fakers, it doesn't mean there isn't any such thing as omens." She stared hard at Ron, trying to prove her point, and the Red head threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Still," she continued. "It might be best if you went to Dumbledore and talked to him about these dreams. He'll probably have a more reliable interpretation."  
  
  
  
  
  
"You don't seem to have a fever honey," TK's mom told him. "But I guess if the nurse thought you needed rest, then you could be sick." Sighing, his mom remover her hand from his forehead, and got up to go back to work. "Now; there's chicken soup in the fridge that you can have if you're hungry, and I want you to get plenty of rest while I'm gone. Don't be talking to your friends a bunch on the phone!"  
  
As if expecting a protest, she waited silently for a reply, and when none was forthcoming, she smiled at him and left the apartment. The door closed behind her with a soft 'click', and TK sighed in relief.  
  
'Finally! I was wondering when Mom would get over her worry enough to get back to work.' He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Crest, which had somehow appeared there when he was in the nurse's office. 'Something has to be going on again,' he decided. 'My crest wouldn't have just shown up for no reason, and it isn't ordinary tiredness that's making me feel like crap either.'  
  
Still muttering silently to himself, he laid back among the pillows, and thought back to when Kari had walked with him to the nurse's office. 'She was really worried about me, but I didn't have anything to tell her. I don't know myself what's happening.' He thought.  
  
~ ~  
  
What's up Takeru?" Kari asked, a concerned look on her face. "You never fall asleep in class! And you especially don't do it, and wake up with nightmares that make you shake like that!"  
  
"I can't explain Kari," he said. "I've just been having some really weird nightmares lately, and even when I sleep enough, I still feel tired." Their conversation ended soon after when they arrived at the nurse's. The woman had efficiently checked him over, decided it was exhaustion, and sent him home for the rest of the day to rest.  
  
~ ~  
  
Burying himself under the warm blankets, he allowed his eyes to drift closed. 'Hopefully. . . there won't. . . be any nightmares. . . this time. . .' he though sleepily as he drifted off, still fingering the crest.  
  
While he slept, strange echoing chants filled the room, wrapping themselves about his slender body in tendrils of sound.  
  
"Speculum Spes a Somnius!"  
  
"Speculum a Spes!"  
  
"Somnius Spes Speculatrum!"  
  
With a tiny unnoticeable sigh, Takeru's body fazed out of one reality, and into another. 


	5. Chapter 4: A Hunted Soul

Silver Angel: Hello peoples! Sorry for making you wait and all, but to make it up to you, I made this chapter quite long (by my standards anyways). I have to announcements to make:  
  
To Jesse Matsuda: Gomen! Gomen Nasai! ^_^;;  
  
And to everyone else: Thank you for the reviews! Please continue! ^_^  
  
Oh! And ~ ~ ~ means a dream sequence.  
  
  
  
Chapter 4: A Hunted Soul  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" A voice asked him quietly, concern evident. "Once you go, you will not be able to return for some time. You'll lose most, if not all of your powers, and if you die before the appointed time, it will be for good."  
  
He smiled reassuringly, already set I his decision, and unwilling to change it. He had always been the stubborn one of the two, and that wasn't about to change now that he was taking a 'leave of absence'. "Yes, I'm sure." He told his companion. "If I want to gain full understanding of my powers, I'm going to have to live without them, and ths is the only way."  
  
The other frowned worriedly; still unconvinced. "You have to promise me you'll be careful." The man admonished. "You will be able to die now, and you won't have the benefits of being reborn like other mortals do if you die too soon." He grimaced. "I don't want to lose you!"  
  
Touched by the concern he felt, he reached out his arms and hugged his friend. "You worry too much." He whispered in his ear. "I assure you, I'll be fine; though I can't promise on being careful, as I won't remember it once I'm reborn." He paused a moment, as if searching deep within his mind for something. "I won't forget you though. I might not realize it, but some part of me will always remember you as long as I'm a mortal."  
  
As he stepped towards the glowing blue light, his companion took a last step towards him. "Here," the man told him, thrusting a small blue gem into one hand. It glittered brightly, reflecting the strange blue light, and intensifying it. "Take this with you when you go. I promise; I'll do my best to protect you always."  
  
Before he could protest that bringing anything was forbidden, his friend shoved him towards the portal, and he felt himself fading as the blue light enveloped him in warmth, and carried him away.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
TK awoke with a start, the bright light from his dream fading, to be replaced by a waning light that filtered through the trees above his head, one of which he smacked as he sat up. 'I really wish there was something I could do about those dreams and quick wake-ups' he thought. 'One of these days, I'll do more then just hit my head on a tree branch.'  
  
"Wait a minute! - trees?" Shooting to his feet, he swung his head back and forth frantically, trying to figure out what had happened to move him from his comfortable nest of blankets at home, to the middle of a forest in who knows where.  
  
"It doesn't look like the Digital world," he murmured quietly, remembering that first time all those years ago, when he had went to camp and had woken up with Tokomon looking down on him. Moaning, he placed his head into his hands. "Why is it always me? I thought my life was weird enough as it is! I really don't need this!"  
  
"Hey TK!" a high-pitched voice interrupted his brief bout of self-pity. Whirling around, he came face to face with a certain hovering orange Digimon.  
  
"Patamon!" he shouted in surprise and relief. "Am I glad to see you! At least I know there's one familiar face I can count on." His partner Digimon flew over and settled on the blond haired boy's head.  
  
"I should hope we stay together! Do you happen to know where here is TK?" The child of hope frowned, glancing around at his surroundings once more. As he had already figured out, the two of them were in a large forest, the foliage so dense, that only a small bit of light made it through; just barely enough to see by.  
  
"I have no clue Patamon," Takeru told his partner, trying to gaze through the fog, which had come up and dimmed the light even more. He shivered. The cold - not just from the fog - and the steadily darkening forest, both told him that night was fast approaching. Not only that, but something told him this forest was not the safest place to be. The fog around him also seemed to give off a feeling of 'wrongness'.  
  
"I don't like this." He said. "Something about this place just doesn't feel right."  
  
"I agree with you there TK. This place gives me the creeps."  
  
"It's settled then," he said, picking a direction and walking that way. "We get out of here right away." While a seemingly random direction, he did have his senses to guide him. As one of the Digi-destined children, and the and the bearer of the Crest of Hope in particular, he had always been somewhat attuned to the distinction between good and evil. Along with that came some ability at reading the auras of people and places. The direction he was heading in seemed to give off a warmer, more welcoming feeling that the rest; though it was somewhat faint, as if blocked by the darkness of the forest.  
  
"TK. . ." Patamon whispered worriedly. "Does there seem to be something wrong with the fog? It feels kind of. . . evil." The orange Digimon trailed off, uncertain of a better way to describe it. Even as TK was about to answer, the 'fog' began gathering together, taking on an almost human form, though it remained mist.  
  
"I think now would be a good time to run," TK said almost conversationally, before taking off at high speed in the direction of the 'warm' feeling he had noticed.  
  
  
  
Harry frowned, a strange feeling coming over him, as if someone familiar were near by. What was odd, was that although friends and other people he knew surrounded him, he was certain that the feeling didn't originate from them.  
  
". . . like we got a large batch of new kids this year, eh Harry?" Harry blinked, realizing that Ron was talking to him. He roused himself from the almost trance that he had gone into, and smiled agreeably, pretending nothing had happened. "Yeah. It's actually kind of surprising, that so many parents would let their kids leave home in light of all the attacks."  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful. "Maybe they feel their children will be safer here? Everyone knows that Dumbledore is the only one You-know-who really fears. There's also all the protections placed on the school."  
  
"You're probably right about that," he said, rising to his feet and giving a loud cheer along with the rest of his new housemates for a new girl who had been sorted into Gryffindor. "We'll just have to hope that it's enough to deter any Death Eater attacks."  
  
"Awfully serious tonight aren't we Harry? Do you know something we don't, or is it just one of those 'feelings' of yours?" Ron said, with a genuine, but nervous grin. His red hair had grown longer over the summer and fell slightly into his eyes now, Harry noticed. It made him seem older - though he wasn't sure that it might not be his eyes, which, like Harry's, held a lot more of knowledge painfully gotten the they should have at the age of sixteen.  
  
"It's not really something you don't know Ron. Mostly the whole nightmare thing." Harry smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Did you remember something you forgot to tell 'Mione on the train?" his friend asked. Hermione straightened at her name, and the thought of more knowledge to add to her already vast store.  
  
"No, that was pretty much it, though the dreams in themselves were pretty weird." He stopped for a moment, reaching up to touch his scar, as if reminded of what normally happened in the nightmares and how the new 'presence' almost seemed to protect him. "Actually, what was bothering me is this weird feeling that something important is going to happen soon - not necessarily bad, but important."  
  
Ron grinned at Hermione. "I don't think he's talking about OWLS either 'Mione" The girl frowned, and made as if to hit him upside the head, causing Harry to sigh. Ron just kept trying to bait Hermione.  
  
'If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he has a crush on her.' The black haired boy smiled privately, hiding it behind one hand as Hermione finally managed to land the blow, and turned back towards him with Ron nursing the back of his head.  
  
"So everything is fine then?" she asked, still seeming a little worried. "I know things have been hard over the summer, since, well. . . but you know you can talk to us if you need to."  
  
Harry smiled. "I told you I'm fine Hermione. I can talk to Dumbledore about my dreams, and there isn't really anything wrong anyways; despite the fact that they've changed. It's actually nice to be able to wake up with out a headache for a change."  
  
"Okay Harry, but if something does happen, we want to hear about it right away." Their conversation ended for the time being as they all stood up to return to the Gryffindor tower after the summer away.  
  
  
  
TK ran; his pulse beating almost painfully in his temples, and his breathing erratic as his lungs strained to force more air in and out. Patamon zipped through the air behind him, having moved off of Takeru's head to lessen the burden. It was painfully obvious, even to TK's distracted mind, that his partner was almost as tired as he was. Neither of them would last much longer.  
  
A morbid joke flashed through his mind, and he fought the urge to chuckle, knowing it would use more breath than he had at the moment. 'It's just our luck that after defeating vampire like monsters trying to take over the world, and demons and evil clowns that wanted to destroy everything, that Patamon and I would end up running for our lives from evil fog-monsters.'  
  
A dim glow of light - the first he had seen since the sun had gone down - brought a feeling of relief to him. He turned around to gasp back a small message to his friend. "Patamon! Look up ahead - it's some - place safe!" As they neared, he found it was a small cottage, the windows lit up from the inside with a cheery glow.  
  
'Hurry TK, Hurry!' he yelled mentally to himself, trying to encourage his legs to continue pumping for just a little longer. He looked back again, and felt his fear grow, when he realized that this *thing* was gaining on them. With a last burst of effort, he managed to increase his speed just a little more as they exited the forest and reached the doorstep of the cottage a minute or so later.  
  
Takeru raised his fist and pounded on the door. "Open up!" he yelled, the sound being choked off abruptly, as the human form of the fog wrapped long gray fingers around his throat, trying to strangle him. The Child of Hope coughed and spluttered against the painful grip, fingers scrabbling at the creatures hands in an attempt to loosed the grip enough to breathe.  
  
'Can't let it kill me. . .' his muddled thoughts decided. All his efforts seemed in vain, however, as he gradually began to feel the effects of his oxygen deprivation. His hands, which had been clawing at the others' grip, now only batted weakly at them, and then fell to his sides. Takeru's vision began to blur, and black spots danced before his eyes. Dimly, in the background, he heard Patamon yelling "Boom Bubble!" and trying to fight the monster off.  
  
'I promise I'll do my best to protect you, always' A voice fluttered up from the dim reaches of a memory long forgotten. In TK's mind, a vision of a crystal blue gem, the color of his eyes, began to glow. 'I won't give up!' he vowed.  
  
Suddenly, with a flare of light, his body was covered with a golden aura, as bright as a flame, with sky blue streaks crossing through it. TK cried out as power shot through him, the tight hands around his throat releasing him abruptly. The symbol of Hope appeared in gold on his forehead, overlapped with a bright blue symbol that looked like a spiral with wavy lines radiating outward from it.  
  
The light continued to grow, causing the fog creature to real back from his with a screech, as though burned. Before it could run, however, the glow engulfed it, causing it to be completely obliterated within seconds.  
  
TK's eyes, which had for these few moments shone an incandescent blue, the pupils lost in his fiery inhuman gaze; drooped shut in exhaustion. With a sigh, he fell to his knees, then to a prone position, his face pressing into the cool relief of the hard packed dirt. As he spiraled away into unconsciousness, he heard shouts of alarm and confusion in the distance. 


	6. Chapter 5: A Reflected Soul

Silver Angel: Well people, it took awhile, but Chapter 5 of Twin Souls is finally up! Many apologies for the delay. I had most of the chapter written up, and then writers block leapt up and hit me over the head.  
  
Thanks to: Butterfly-fire, Jesse Matsuda, T.M., Sakura Kuonji, and shadow_of_the_mind for their reviews!  
  
A last note before we begin: this chapter starts out as a dream sequence. I can't use italics, so it's signified by ~ ~ ~ ~ marks.  
Chapter 5: A Reflected Soul  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A young teen with blond hair stood huddled in a darkened corner, shaking with a mixture of fear and exhaustion. "I - I didn't try to hurt him," he mumbled. His eyes were glazed in shock as he attempted to block out the world around him, and him himself in the wall.  
  
Strands of gold fell into his face, but he made to move to brush the hair away; barely noticing them in fact, and choosing to keep his arms tightly wrapped around his pulled up knees. Another shiver ran through him, and he bit his lower lip hard, trying to push back the emotions that were running rampant through his heart and mind.  
  
The metallic taste of blood touched hi tongue, and his mouth twisted in a grimace of distaste. Blood. Horrifying images flashed by his mind's eye. A mahogany haired young man who challenged him out of jealousy to a duel, shouting that if he was as powerful as the elders made him out to be, than he would be able to beat him easily.  
  
Though normally the fight would have been evenly matched, he had unconsciously found himself able to draw on a strange power, which had leapt uncontrollably at the other young man, causing his own attack to be thrown backward at him. That same teen who was huddling frozen against the wall now, had watched in horror as blades of hardened air had ripped bloody gashes all over his challenger's skin.  
  
He wasn't a fighter; was unprepared for the fury with which his power had reflected the attack. And his challenger had suffered the price for his own inexperience - had ended up on the floor, small rivulets of blood flowing from myriad wounds across his body while the blond haired teen could only stare ahead in shock at the sight before him.  
  
Tremors continued to fill his body, yet he found himself unable to cry. All he could do was stare blankly ahead as he relieved all the events that had occurred in vivid, terrifying detail. 'Why?' he wondered. 'I didn't want this to happen! It shouldn't have happened! I should have been able to stop it!'  
  
A warm hand placed on his shoulder partially drew him out of his memories, and he looked up to see the concerned face of Chance. "Are you okay?" the man asked, brushing midnight black hair out of his eyes. The dim lighting from the candles in the corridor reflected a gleam in his eyes that made him seem more mischievous than usual. When the boy in question didn't answer, the older deity looking deity knelt down beside him, concerned expression growing. "It wasn't your fault Hope. You didn't even know of the power within you, let alone how to control it."  
  
The young man blinked slowly, dropping his suddenly weighty head onto his pulled up legs. "I should have known," he whispered disconsolately into his knees. "I hate fighting, and here I almost killed him without even trying! I'm some kind of monster!" This last was almost shouted, as he drew his head up, his eyes wild and tone getting hysterical.  
  
Gripping his shoulders, Chance shook him, causing his head to snap back, and some semblance of reason to return to his eyes. "Stop that! You're not a monster, just because Spirit decided to challenge you and you lost control! You haven't been properly trained yet, and without that, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened."  
  
His earnest amber eyes gazing into Hope's crystal blue ones caused all the barriers to break. Tears pricked his eyes, and with a pained cry, he flung himself at his 'mentor's' chest, sobbing loudly. When he had finished, and the sobs resided to sniffles, he looked up at Chance through re-rimmed eyes, embarrassedly poking the front of the older deity's black shirt, which had become soggy from his crying.  
  
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just - "  
  
The black haired god gave him a smile, and squeezed his shoulder, cutting off his apology. "I understand," he said. "A similar thing happened to me when I first came into some of my more. flashy powers." He grinned wryly.  
  
"Even Gods and Goddesses have accidents Hope. Our powers are almost always growing, and new abilities manifesting themselves can often cause problems. I don't have your powers, so I can't teach you how to use them. That's something you'll have to learn on your own. But-" he added, seeing the upset look on Hope's face, "I can give you some general pointers. How's that?"  
  
The blond haired boy grinned up at the more mature God. "Really?" He leaned forward and hugged Chance impulsively. "Thank you!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Emerald eyes fluttered open to stare up at the stone ceiling above his bed. The stone walls of the dorm were chilled with the approaching autumn, and he shivered, pulling the blankets up a little higher.  
  
'What was that?' he wondered. A headache pulse in his temples, but as his scar felt perfectly fine, he knew that this dream could have no connection to Voldemort or his death eaters. 'I've never had a dream so. real. before though. It was just like my dreams of Voldemort in that respect, but how could it be?'  
  
Confusion warred in his mind with sleep, eventually winning out as his headache increased. 'I doubt I'm going to get any more sleep,' he decided, getting out of be and throwing on some warmer clothes.  
  
'Maybe - ' he winced as a particularly sharp bar of pain crossed through his head. 'Maybe I should go to the hospital wing. I hate to wake Madam Pomfrey up, but - ' he staggered at another pulse of pain, which caused spots of light to dance in front of his eyes. 'Yes, definitely to the Hospital wing.'  
  
Quietly, so as not to wake anyone else, he pushed the painting of the Fat Lady open, causing her to snort slightly in her sleep. He froze at the sound, then when there was no apparent follow up, he slid out and eased the portrait back in place.  
  
Walking slowly through the halls, he held one hand up to his aching head, and noticed the chill. 'I wish I had grabbed one of my old robes as well.' He thought. His mind preoccupied with pain, he almost didn't notice when he reached the Hospital wing. He would have missed it, in fact, had it not been for the hushed commotion going on in and around it. He began walking back towards the door he had passed, listening to the voices from beyond it.  
  
" - Know who he is?" A low rumbling voice, which he immediately recognized as Hagrid's said. Someone reached into a cabinet, because he could hear it creaking, and the sound almost drowned out the next, quieter, answer.  
  
"No, I do not, but I believe there is something very familiar about him." This second voice, he identified as the headmaster's. Dumbledore sounded worried, yet at the same time intrigued, and Harry tried to quicken his pace slightly, so that when he reached the room, he could ask about who this mysterious person was.  
  
"Poor thing! Just look at those bruises around his neck! What that creature must have been trying to strangle him! It's a wonder that he managed to survive, and stop whatever it was that was doing it to him." The last to speak was Madam Pomfrey, and he heard he bustling about the room.  
  
'At least I won't have to wake her up,' he thought vaguely, as his head throbbed in time with his blood, and he entered the room. The ebon haired teen was leaning heavily on one wall, and then slid down in till he was sitting on the floor. He smiled weakly at their surprised expressions which they turned to face him, and he reached a hand up to absently rub the side of his head when pain did another pirouette through it.  
  
"Harry?!" Dumbledore adjusted his glasses, as if trying to check if he were seeing right. "What are you doing at this time of night?"  
  
"I had this weird dream - not one about Voldemort." He corrected quickly, seeing the headmaster's concerned expression. "And I woke up with - this awful headache.." He looked down, starting to wish he had just lived with the pain, rather than cause any more disturbance than there already seemed to be.  
  
Harry looked curiously at the blond haired teen about his age lying on the bed behind them. Madam Pomfrey had been right - there were awful bruises around his neck, and Harry winced in sympathy for how painful they must have been. "Where did he come from?" he asked, deciding to just come out with it.  
  
Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes and pushed him toward one of the beds, handing him a headache potion. Harry drank it in one gulp, grimacing all the while, and then waited expectantly for an answer.  
  
"'E was just outside them woods behind my cabin," Hagrid began. "I was headin back after the feast, when I saw 'im runnin out like You-know-who was on his tail. I started ter run toward 'im, when the black thing comes up and starts tryin ter choke 'im." He frowned in distaste. "I was just about to try an grab it, when a big flash of blue light comes, and the creature is gone, with 'im laying unconscious-like on the ground."  
  
Hagrid was about to continue, when a moan issued from the bed the unnamed boy was lying on, which was quickly followed by a chocking noise as he reached up to clutch his throat, eyes still closed. With a quiet sigh, the stranger realized that he was no longer being strangled, and relaxed, his eyelids twitching, and then opening.  
  
Harry, being on the bed right next to him, was one of the first to lean over. He found himself looking into crystal blue eyes still slightly cloudy from 'sleep'. Almost immediately, he felt a strange spark of recognition, that told him he should no this boy, although Harry was certain he'd never met him before in his life. Still. there was that odd continuing sense of deja-vuu.  
  
"Who are you?" he queried, just as curious as any of the adults, who had yet to make any comments and make their prescence known. The as yet unnamed boy blinked in confusion for a moment before answering, his eyes taking in the surroundings, and the various others in the room.  
  
His sapphire eyes once more caught on Harry's, and the black haired wizard could somehow tell that the stranger felt the same sense of deja-vuu and connection that he did.  
  
"Hope." the boy breathed out quietly. His eyes widened immediately, as if surprised by what he had answered. "I - I'm Takeru - or you can call me TK." He added quickly, as if trying to cover up that small slip of the tongue. Harry had caught it however, and felt as if the world had dropped out from under him.  
Silver Angel: Bwaaa-haaa-haaa! I finally managed to get this chapter out!  
  
Angel Takeru: Don't you mean you finally managed to get up off your lazy butt and type it out?  
  
Silver Angel: Shush you! You're supposed to be an angel! Besides, it wasn't just typing! I had to come up with an interesting way to end the chapter!  
  
Angel Takeru: Yeah, sure. Don't you mean you had to find the best place to leave it off, and torture your readers?  
  
Silver Angel: Don't you mean, Don't you mean. what is it with you! ::goes all watery eyed:: Can't you just love me for who I am? Waaaah! ::rivers of tears::  
  
Angel Takeru: ::sweat drops:: Umm. yeah, don't mind her people. She's just gone temporarily crazy. Just review, and she'll be happy.  
  
Silver Angel: ::Stops crying.:: Thanks for telling them TK! ^___^ *glomps*  
  
Angel Takeru: ::Sighs:: 


	7. Chapter 6: A Dreaming Soul

Silver Angel: A.N. I no own Digimon or Harry Potter. Leave me alone, or I'll sick Angel Takeru on you, and that's a fate worse than death! ^_^  
Chapter 6: A Dreaming Soul  
~ ~ ~ Laughter. Bright and cheerful, it held the tones of springtime. Filled with promise, light and life, it cheered him just to hear it. The giggle was only heard once however, before it faded into the background, echoing slightly before being swallowed up by the thick blanketing heat that surrounded him.  
  
Everything seemed hazy now that he realized it. As if there were some unreal quality to the landscape around it. Come to think of it, was an orange sky all that common? Somehow it seemed natural enough where he was, but the rust colors that changed from a pale tan to a vibrant red tugged at his memory, telling him that this wasn't the way things were supposed to look.  
  
'Could I be dreaming? He wondered. The thought thinning out into a pale wisp, as if absorbed by the ever-thickening atmosphere. Indeed, it felt like it was growing even hotter now, causing him to tug on his shirt collar in an attempt to relieve the almost choking pressure he felt when trying to breath.  
  
"Silly! Don't you remember where we are? Or have you forgotten already! I would have thought that you at least wouldn't leave your memories of our life behind even after you struck out on your own! Humph! And here I thought we were best friends!"  
  
Takeru swung around to see a small girl standing behind him, smiling, if looking slightly disapproving. He knew he was dreaming now. Here was a small girl, acting as if she were his older sister, and criticizing him, when he was quite sure he had never met her before in his life.  
  
She was wearing a white dress that hung down to her knees, trimmed with pink on the edge of the skirt, and a pale purple star shape emblazoned on the chest. Her hair was a blond pale enough to be called white, and hung loose around her shoulders. A moment later her raised an eyebrow when he realized that it hung down as low as her knees. As girl as you as she, couldn't have grown her hair that long. Most startling however, were her eyes. They were a bright ruby red; a color that would normally make a person look demonic. On her however, she remained the picture of innocence, though there still seemed to be something odd.  
  
"You don't remember me either then? I'm disappointed in you Hope. It looks like I won't be able to trust you anymore, if you can forget about me all that easily." Her faced scrunched up in a frown, and she pulled a stuffed pink cat plushie out of thin air.  
  
"I should know you? But I've never met you before in my life! And why did you call me Hope? My names Takeru!" He looked at her in puzzlement, and she stepped up to him, circling around him and examining every inch. He scowled, feeling as though he was being treated like a prize horse at a fair. "Do you mind?"  
  
The little girl gave him an impish smile, and skipped backward out of his reach. "Now now Hope - or *Takeru* if you prefer," she stressed his name, as if saying that it didn't really matter, or she was trying to make fun of him. "There's no need to get all stressed out. That was always your problem. You're too serious for your own good! Besides being unhealthy, it usually means a loss of control." She hugged her pink cat, and then pulled a blue one the color of his eyes out of the air.  
  
"Here! Catch!" He caught the toy awkwardly, stopping it from hitting the brown grass at the last moment. He realized, upon examining what she had given him, how out of place it really seemed. Everything he had seen in this world so far was some shade of autumn. It was all tan, rust, or red, and occasional some shade in between. By contrast, the plush toy - and he himself he realized - stood out like a part of the picture that had been pasted on from another picture. The girl, in her white and pink, somehow still managed to look as if she belonged, however.  
  
He heard the laughter again, and noticed that it had actually come from her. "So you've realized that you don't belong her have you?" She smiled showing strait white teeth. "Well in a way you're right Hope, you don't belong here. You were brought here by some of those higher up than me, because the balance is going all wonky." She giggled again at her word usage. "Welcome to my world! Isn't it cool?"  
  
"I'm surprised that you don't remember me though. The gate must have changed you more than I thought." A rumble sounded throughout the strange world, and Takeru staggered, trying to keep his footing as the land shook beneath him. The girl didn't really seem bother though. "I guess catch up will have to wait till later though." Another tremor shook, and the girl frowned. Takeru meanwhile, had dropped the toy that she had given him, and he watched it dissolve on the ground next to him, turning into a wisp of blue smoke, which smelled of the ocean.  
  
"Now look at what you've done!" She hopped around from foot to foot, looking frustrated and angry with him. "You weren't supposed to do that Hope! Now you have to use the present I gave you!" Before he could ask what she meant, another roar sounded, and the world fell away dissolving into nothingness.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Takeru moaned as he felt himself coming back to consciousness surrounded by something warm and soft - blankets he realized. He noticed soon after, that he was actually lying in a bed, when the last thing he had remembered was collapsing amidst the blue light that dissolved the fog creature. He reached his hands upwards quickly around his throat almost as though still feeling those insubstantial hands, which had yet been so strong. Each time he tried to draw breath, he noticed a nagging soreness in his throat, left over from the attempt to kill him. Luckily for him, the creature had not succeeded. Whatever it had been - had Patamon been able to digivolve? - It was almost instantly destroyed.  
  
He was about to snuggle back under the blankets, when he decided that he actually felt uncomfortably warm, and should kick off his coverings. Something odd memory tickled the back of his mind, and he remembered the dream. 'It was too warm there too. Come to think of it, that dream seemed awfully real - just like all the ones I can't seem to stop having.' Takeru blinked open his eyes, and found him looking straight into another pair of emerald green ones.  
  
"Who are you?" Obvious concern and curiosity was in those eyes, and he felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment as he felt a feeling of familiarity overcome him. He knew this person. He did. There was no doubt in his mind, even though something nagged him that he couldn't. There was such a strong feeling of connection - nothing could fake it, no matter what his rational side told him.  
  
Forgetting himself, he breathed out the first answer that came to his mind. "Hope." Almost immediately, however, he had to resist the urge to clap his hands over his mouth, as he realized what he had said. 'Darn it! Those stupid dreams must be getting to me, if I can't even remember my true name anymore!'  
  
"Takeru. But you can call me TK." He breathed a silent prayer, hoping that his lapse had gone unnoticed by the boy leaning over him, and the several adults standing around in the background still waiting to make a move. Someone up there obviously hated him though, because he could tell from the widening of his eyes, that the boy had heard him - and somehow recognized what he had said. "Ummm." He looked around the room he was in, frantically looking for a way to divert the boy attention, and possibly get some answers at the same time. "Could you please tell me where I am? Last time I checked, there weren't that many buildings made out of stone in Japan." Again, he began to feel as if someone were cursing him - and laughing all the while at his luck. TK could tell just from their faces, that once again he had said something. unusual.  
  
The boy in front of him looked as if he would reply, but quickly the older man stepped up to the bedside, looking down at him with twinkling blue eyes. "I do believe that I will take things from here Harry." He sat down in a chair to the side, and turned serious. "You, my boy, are no longer in Japan. You happen to be in Europe right now - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to be exact. I do confess, that I am quite curious at how you managed to bring yourself over an ocean. You don't seem to be old enough to be out of school, let alone aparate."  
  
"Over. an ocean." Takeru repeated faintly, suddenly wishing very much that he was back asleep - or unconscious. Some things were just a little too much to find out in only one day.  
Silver Angel: Slightly shorter chapter, but. I did get it done soon! It didn't sit around for weeks begging to be written or typed did it? So you should be happy right?  
  
Angel Takeru: Yeah right. next thing you know, you'll be telling them to be satisfied with 500 words instead.  
  
Silver Angel: Hey! I wouldn't do that! And who gave you permission to speak? You're my muse, so you should do what I say! I say, start working on the next chapter!  
  
Angel Takeru: ::snickers:: Yeah right. You should know that it's the muse that controls the person. I have an idea. Nya Nya! You can't get it unless I want you too!  
  
Silver Angel: ARRGGHHH! Please review! If you do, maybe he'll slip up, and I can still the idea back! #_# 


	8. Chapter 7: A Misplaced Soul

Ghost Whisper: Another chappie out! Long wait I know – but I've been concentrating on a bunch of my other stories, and school decided to be evil. Anyways, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It could be better, but for a 'bridge' chapter, I think it turned out okay. Tell me what you think please?

Before things go any further, I'd like to thank my reviewers for the past chapter personally! Look below for you name!

Firehedgehog – OMG! One of my favorite authors read my story! You like it? I'm so happy! Thank you so much!

shadowofthemind – Thanks! I'll try to keep updates coming quickly!

Jesse – Thanks for your review! You one of my best reviewers! As to the girl… hehehe… Have patience grasshopper. All shall be revealed in time.

lexi – Yeah, sorry bout the shortness, but I write as it comes, and I didn't want to keep people waiting. I do promise to try not to post chapter less then a thousand words though.

DigiEllen – Thanks so much for the reviews!

Mathias8888 – You really think so? ::blushes:: I'm so happy that you think I'm doing so well! As to my story The Wings of Hope, well I had kinda placed it on a bit of a back burner for a while, but I'll look it over, and see if I can post another chapter. This chapter is dedicated to you! Thanks for all the compliments! It really boosts my self-esteem.

Ghost Whisper: Anyways, lots of thanks to all other reviewers from previous chapters as well. Did I ever say that I don't own Digimon and Harry Potter? Well, I don't. Bandai and Fox (I think) get Digimon, and JK Rowling and her publishers get Harry Potter. I wasn't there when they were having the auction. Wahhh!

On with Chapter 7!

Chapter 7: A Misplaced Soul

'I'm in England," Takeru thought dully. It was the only coherent thought running through his head at the moment. Upon the old man's pronouncement, TK's mind had slowed nearly to a halt. All he found himself able to do was stare forward in complete and utter shock. 'Why does it always seem to be me?' he wondered. 'Even when I thought our Digi-destined problems were over, something new decides to rear it's ugly head.'

The old man – Dumbledore he had introduced himself as – had left the room under the pretense of 'allowing TK to think things over'. He and the other adults had left the room and were now outside in the hallway talking quietly amongst themselves. 'Probably deciding what to do with me.' The only one left now was the boy about his age named Harry.

"So you're from Japan then?" Harry asked him, taking a more comfortable sitting position on the bed next to him.

Blinking, TK struggled to pull himself out of the state of shock he had been in. "Yeah," he told him. "I lived there all my life actually…" He trailed off, uncertain of how to continue. What would you say after all, if you had found out that you had been transported halfway across the world in your sleep?

There was silence for a few minutes, while both boys debated over what to say next. Finally, Harry broke the stillness once more. "Are you a wizard? I mean, there are charms around the school to keep muggles – non-magic people – from seeing the school. If you were able to get all the way to the forbidden forest, then you must have some magic in you."

Takeru frowned, considering. "Well, I don't know about being a wizard. I grew up as a normal person; a – muggle you called it? Well, I guess normal depends on your definition though. I - " What he had been going to say was interrupted by an insistent scratching on the window, and the appearance of a certain orange flying creature. The blond haired boy smiled in relief, and stumbled wearily over to the window to open it.

As soon as the glass was out of the way, Patamon came flying through and tackled his partner. "TK! You're all right! Thank goodness! I was so worried about you!" Takeru grinned and stumbled slightly under his partner's assault. "I couldn't even help you when that fog-monster came, and then there was some weird blue light, and those people came and took you here, so I hid and - "

"Whoa! Calm down Patamon!" He told his babbling friend. "There'll be plenty of time to talk about what happened. Right now…" he turned to face Harry who was looking at them both, shock evident on his face. "Well, I imagine that you have some questions, don't you Harry?" The boy in question nodded silently, staring at Patamon.

TK sat back down on the bed, Patamon having taken up his customary perch atop his head. "Lets see now…" he mumbled absently to himself as he considered. "Where to begin… I guess I'll have to start by saying, that this is what I meant when I said normal depends on your definition…

"This is certainly an interesting development." Dumbledore said quietly as he stroked his beard. "While I can't be sure what, there is definitely something special about that boy. I'm sure I've never met him before, but a familiar feeling nags at me." Hagrid and Madame Pomfrey listened in silence as the old wizard talked, unsure of whether it was to himself or to them.

"Yeh haven't met the kid before the Professor? I guess not seein as he's s'posed to be from Japan, but there does seem to be something a tad… off 'bout him." Hagrid scratched his head and frowned. "Feels like I should know him too. 'Sides. However innocent he may seem, he could be some sorta spy. Harry's told me about his scar hurtin because o' You-Know-Who – and if it wasn't a headache he came in with, I wouldn't know how else to describe it." The half-giant looked worried.

Dumbledore smiled. "I believe, then, that we will have to take the obvious course of action."

"And that would be Headmaster?" Madame Pomfrey crossed her arms over her chest, leaning towards the door. She seemed anxious to check on her patient.

"Why, enroll him in Hogwarts of course! Not only will we be able to keep an eye on him, we just may figure out what it is about this boy that is so familiar. Secrets have a habit of coming to light within these castle walls."

In spite of jubilant – one could almost say 'uncaring' – way the solution way put forward, Dumbledore had put a great deal of thought into his reply. He wouldn't endanger the students, and although any fool could argue that there was something strange about their unexpected guest; some instinct told him that the boy was not dangerous – and might, perhaps, be rather important to the events currently taking place.

"Are yeh sure Professor?" Hagrid looked like he wanted to protest.

"Yes Hagrid. I do believe so. I'll let it be known that the professors should keep an eye on him, but there is little else we can do at this point. We cannot send him back immediately, and no small amount of curiosity will arise from a boy wandering around the school when he is not a student."

"It's amazing that the Wizarding world has never heard of something like this," Harry stated thoughtfully. "After all, odd creatures terrorizing cities are just the sorts of thing that they're supposed to deal with. And from what I've heard, the Japanese ministry of magic is one of the most well organized – you'd think they would catch wind of something like that."

TK shrugged. "I never knew about wizards either, though if they're as secretive as you say, I guess I wouldn't. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Digimon came from technology? Although your wizards should still have noticed something – even the normal people found out when Myotismon tried to take over Tokyo."

"Yeah. . ." Harry frowned. "Although – It is possible that the ministry of magic in Japan could be trying to hide any evidence of what's going on. They do it here, even when it's obvious to most people that everything's not as perfect as they make it out to be…"

"What do you mean?"

Harry twitched at the sudden question from the orange and white creature, Patamon. He was used to magic, but even in the wizarding world, most non-humans didn't talk – and those who did had human-looking (mostly) faces. "About fourteen years ago, there was an evil wizard named Voldemort terrorizing the wizarding world, and trying to 'purify' the world from anyone Muggle or Muggle-born – Normal people, or wizards who's families didn't have magic. He wanted to rule over everything, and he almost succeeded, until he was killed by a spell that rebounded on him." Harry kept his face neutral as he told of Voldemort's death, hoping that TK wouldn't ask him to elaborate. He really didn't need anyone else staring at him in awe – although it seemed as though the blond boy might understand him better than most other people, given the events of his childhood.

"So he was like a Wizard Hitler then?"

"Yeah. Everyone thought he was gone. Recently though, we found out that he'd only lost his body, and was searching for a way to get it, and the majority of his powers back. He – succeeded last year, and he's trying to gather all his old followers now."

TK groaned and buried his face in the pillow on his bed. When he lifted his face up a minute later, his eyes reflected ironic amusement. "This is kinda creepy you know? I mean, except for the fact that he had Digimon followers, his story is almost exactly the same as Myotismon's."

"I guess it is a pretty big coincidence – But there's been quite a few of those in my life. I don't think you'll need to worry about anything here though. Dumbledore is one of the only people Voldemort has ever been afraid of, and Hogwarts is exceptionally well warded. Even then, the Headmaster will probably find a way to send you home soon."

TK sighed, and fingered a strange transparent blue chip that Harry realized had been in his hand for nearly the whole conversation. "I hope so." The blond boy said quietly. "My mom is gonna kill me for disappearing when I was supposed to be home sick."

At the moment, the door to the room opened again.

Ghost Whisper: A chapter! Ye Gods, I've done it! I've actually updated! Is it good? Bad? Confusing? Please review and let me know! No guarantees on when the next update will be, but this story is not being abandoned! Don't worry!


	9. Chapter 8: A New Soul

**Ghost Whisper:** Ok, I understand. I'm terrible! I am a little bit of an erratic author, but that doesn't mean I don't work! It's just that this isn't my main project right now (points at 'Shadowed Tears) and as such, falls onto a major back-burner. Of course, I still work on it, but I never post until I have enough to constitute a decent chapter (meaning at least a thousand words, preferably 1500, and also a decent ending).

I'm not going to babble on giving a hundred excuses, just what I've already said. Please don't be mad. I am working, and don't plan on abandoning this – it's just slow. Anyways, rather than bore you any longer, I'll let you read the chapter, hmmm?

* * *

**Chapter 8: A New Soul**

Chance paced the floor, eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown. He hadn't had time for doubts when he'd proposed the idea of transferring one of Hope's incarnations into another reflection of the world to the council. There had only been time to register the danger of one world's balance slipping, and to come up with a possible solution before it was necessary to act. If he'd waited any longer, the world in danger would have been lost completely.

Really, the idea hadn't seemed so dangerous at the time. If anything, having two incarnations in the same world at a time would have only increased Hope's powers exponentially. Now, however, Chance had time to sit and stew in his doubts, and he couldn't help but be worried.

'That monster that attacked TK – whatever it was – shouldn't have even existed. It comes from a different plane of existence altogether. One that doesn't have access to the one we transferred TK to.'

Stopping for a moment in his pacing, Chance moved to the far side of the room, and looked into the mirror that stood upright next to one of his worktables. Stroking the curve of the simple silver frame, he watched intently as a scene wavered into view. TK was sitting on a bed, talking to a black haired boy in glasses. The deity gave a small sigh of relief that just barely fogged up the glass. He'd been lucky to be able to send enough power to influence the world in time to save TK. If it hadn't been for the small power transfer stone he'd given Hope before his incarnation, the interference would likely not have been possible.

Chance smirked. 'Although, it's rather funny where being attacked has landed TK – maybe even a little lucky. He would have had to work a lot harder to get into Hogwarts if he hadn't been attacked. And this way, Dumbledore and the others trust him more.' And seeing TK talk to –for lack of a better term- _himself_, without knowing it, was rather funny. He touched the side of the frame again, dissolving the image back into the normal reflection the mirror was supposed to show.

Yawning, he walked into the next room of his chambers, relishing the opulent navy blue rugs and draperies, and the silver bed-frame that decorated his bedroom. As a deity, he didn't need to actually sleep. At least not while in one of the higher realms. However, reaching out through the power transfer gem and protecting TK had drained him, and 'sleeping' was the fastest and most comfortable way to regain the power he had lost.

'I just hope that nothing important happens while I'm asleep,' he thought distantly, letting his mind sink into the first stages of deep relaxation that came before his completely unconscious state.

* * *

"Of course, we shall have to test if you have the capability to use magic first, but considering that you were able to see, and get near Hogwarts, I already have reason to believe you're not a Muggle," Dumbledore told him. The old wizard had come back into the infirmary, followed by Hagrid, who looked as though he had some reservations over what the Headmaster was going to say, and Madam Pomfrey, who had immediately centered in on TK's position and began fussing over him.

It had taken several minutes to explain the presence of Patamon to the three adults, but after that, they had seemed quite fascinate by him. Of course, they had politely resfrained from trying to touch him, or talking to TK as though the orange and white digimon was not there, for which he was grateful.

"Let me get this straight," Takeru began, still not certain whether or not his ears were playing tricks on him. "You want me to be a student at your school of magic?" His tone was incredulous, and he hurriedly went on, not wanting to give a bad impression. "I mean – don't get me wrong, I think it would probably be cool and all, but I have a life back home, and friends. My mom is probably worried sick over what's happened to me."

Dumbledore simply nodded, accepting TK's words. "Well, as I've said, we do need to find out whether or not you can use magic first, and the final decision is, of course, yours. However, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher felt a need to inform the Ministry of Magic of your arrival, and as such, we can no longer keep your presence here a secret. The British Ministry will have to contact your Japanese Ministry, and they will decide upon the best course of action to get you home."

He took a breath, sending a questioning glance in Harry's direction. "I believe Mr. Potter has informed you of the perilous situation in this world currently? At Harry's nod, the old wizard continued. "In that case, I don't believe I'll have to explain that your presence here, without an explanation has already caused a stir. The pretence of your being a student is a perfect reason to give for your being here, and one that will arouse less suspicion among the Death Eaters."

"You know, TK," Patamon began. "He does have a point. Our arrival here probably startled the wizards as much as it did us, so you should give them a chance to get a feel for the situation. Besides, it's best not to draw attention to ourselves. If this Voldemort guy is anything like Myotismon, than he'd probably jump at the chance to get a hold of any new power he can." The little digimon ignored the flinches that the dark wizard's name caused in Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid.

Biting his lower lip, TK nodded hesitantly. "I guess… when you put it that way, it does make sense. And I don't want to cause you any more trouble." He trailed off looking thoughtful for a moment, and the others in the room waiting expectantly. "Well, I suppose I can stay here – for a little while at least. Is there any way I can contact my Mom though? I really should let her know what's happened."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he nodded. "Excellent. I shall make arrangements for your introduction to the school tomorrow, as well procuring you some supplies. I fear you shall have to wait to get your wand however. You'll have to go directly to Ollivander's shop for that, and a trip to Diagon Alley, where it's located, will take a little bit more time to arrange."

"Sir?" Harry spoke up. "What about the sorting?" He hoped that TK would be in Gryffindor. Already he felt as though the blonde boy could be a great friend, even though they'd only had a short time to talk. They'd both went through similar things in their lives, and Harry had an easier time talking to him than most of his other friends save Ron and Hermione because of that.

"Ah, excellent point Harry." Dumbledore fixed a glance on TK. "There are to ways we can do this, my boy. Tomorrow, you can come up to my office, and I'll have the Sorting Hat sort you in private, or we can do things in Great Hall at supper time, as is traditional for new students."

Takeru looked nervously as he thought. "Well, I'd rather it was done in private, but… things will seem more natural if you do it in the Great Hall, right? So I guess I'll just have to face the public. I'll have to do it sooner or later anyways."

The old wizard patted TK on the back. "A wise choice, my boy. Now, tonight I fear you shall have to remain in the Infirmary. I don't believe Madam Pomfrey wishes to let either of her patients go at the moment," he turned an amused gaze on Harry, who only slumped lower down onto the bed he was seated on, looking resigned. "So, I suggest you get a good nights sleep, as tomorrow will be a busy day."

And with that, the Headmaster of Hogwarts swept out of the room, Hagrid following hurriedly behind him, and leaving the two boys to the tender mercies of the school's nurse.

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**Review Responses: **

**Mercedes Sandhya**: Umm…I suppose I don't have the best track record for fast updates (as this chapter shows). Rest assured however, that I don't plan on giving up on this fic. It shall go on! :D

**demon's gurl**: I guess you just have to wait to find out, won't you? ;)

**BlackBlaze**: Confusing? Moi? I suppose some scenes might be… they'll all pull together eventually though. I don't want to make anything too obvious – that would be no fun! :)

**Shi-Koi**: Favorite author reviewing my fics! -hyperventilates- I'm so happy to hear from you! And yeah, I thought the idea of Harry being Hope kinda fit well too. I didn't want to just have it be someone who looked like TK. Much as I like to think Draco can be redeemed, the idea of him as Hope just cracks me up. :D

**Zoleth**: I like HP/Digimon crossovers too! Pity they're not more common. Actually, I like crossovers in general, which is a big reason why I started writing this. Anyways, sorry for the late update. Hope the chapter's ok though. :)

**Firehedgehog**: Thanks for the support. I'll keep trying to update. :)

**Dark Wolf on a full blood moon**: No, the story is not abandoned. As I said in the beginning author's notes, I'm trying to update all (or most) of my fics. I like to at least have a respectable length chapter before posting. Please don't be angry, as it's for my readers that this story is posted in the first place.

**Draic**: Wow. You are such a cool author! I'm still waiting on updates for some of your fics. :D Thanks for the kind review though. I totally get what you're talking about, and I'm trying really hard to not have 'TK goes to Hogwarts' as the point of the story. In fact, that's why I took care to have TK come to the place in a different way – you know, not getting his wand for a while, having Dumbledore actually consider whether or not TK's presence there is a safe thing, etc. Hopefully, no matter how slow updates are, this story won't disappoint. Thanks again for reviewing! :D

**Mysterious Bearer of Life**: Digimon living in your head can be a painful experience, can't it? Thanks for the review! :)

**Rya Starling**: I'm glad you think it's cool. I try – I really do. So sorry for the late update, but better late then never, right? :) –Sheepish look-


	10. Chapter 9: A Dark Soul

**Ghost Whisper**: As one of my more popular stories, I felt obligated to post another chapter of Twin Souls up as soon as I could. The fact that I had some time off from school certainly helped.

In any case, let me just right now that I was overwhelmed by the amount of response I had for my last chapter. It far exceeded any expectations I had, and was much more than I feel I deserved. Nevertheless, I'm so happy to hear from some of my readers. Just knowing that there are some people out there who _are_ curious as to what will happen next, is a great motivation to continue working on this story. Thank you so much!

And now, on with the story…

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**Chapter 9: A Dark Soul**

Staring straight up at the deep blue velvet draped above him, TK contemplated his situation. The predawn light was not strong enough to make its way through the heavy fabric covering curtaining the four-poster bed he slept in, leaving him in relative darkness. Only the rustling of his bed-sheets broke the silence as he rolled over onto his side.

Truth be told, he should be sleeping still. TK knew that he'd regret his wakefulness tomorrow, when it came time to begin acting his role as a student at the school. A clear head was the best way to start things – something Patamon seemed to know quite well, considering the way he was curled up into a small ball on the pillow opposite Takeru's face. Everything was just too strange for him to settle down though, much as he knew he should.

'_I wonder how Kari's doing,'_ he thought absently, shifting in bed in an attempt to get more comfortable. _'And my Mom – she's gotta be worried by now. That whole episode where we went to the Digiworld when I was young really shook her up. At least the second time around, she didn't really have a chance to notice when we were gone. But when the Digimon started appearing in the real world…I thought she was gonna tie me up and have us live in a cave or something. I hate to think about what she's going to do this time when I get home.' _

"Mmmm…doughnuts…" Patamon muttered sleepily, a small trickle of drool falling out of the corner of his mouth as he smiled.

"That's gross Patamon," TK grumbled as he pulled back from his partner. He couldn't help but grin a little though. Some things just never changed, no matter the circumstances – and the appetite of a Digimon was definitely one of those things.

At least Patamon was okay though. Hagrid, the giant man who apparently taught Care of Magical Creatures had been curious about what type of creature Patamon was, and had asked TK about it when he led him to a temporary room for the night. The man had seemed quite surprised upon hearing TK's explanation of what a Digimon was. Apparently, the magic fields surrounding Hogwarts prevented anything technology related from working. Why it didn't affect Patamon was anyone's guess, but Takeru was thankful that it hadn't. He didn't know how he would react if something were to happen to Patamon – though he knew it wouldn't be something to test.

'It's nice to have one friend here with me. This would be so much harder if I were alone.'

TK yawned, a jaw cracking one that seemed to last forever. It seemed as though the excitement of the day – or night? – was finally catching up with him. Even his own frantically whizzing thoughts couldn't continue to force sleep back. With a small sigh, he burrowed himself deeper under the covers, letting sleep take him, even as his brain started once again on worrying about how long he would have to stay here before going home, and how he could contact his mother.

The last thought he had before falling asleep was a strange one that seemed to come from nowhere. _'I'm glad Chance is on my side.'_

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The room was completely silent.

Even the portrait of Mathilda Magplot that was hung over the doorway to the room was asleep, the beaded shawl of the wealthy 18th century witch drawn up around her shoulder's. That was good. The two roommates had been given a strong warning before taking up residence in the room, that the portrait was a notorious gossip, but that there weren't any other rooms in a state to receive guests.

Round blue eyes observed the rest of the room carefully, checking to be sure that nothing was out of place, before Patamon got up from his warm resting place on the bed. As silently as possible, the small Digimon glided over the portrait. He hovered for a moment, vexed. How was he supposed to get it open? He didn't have hands to hold it open, and while his ears would work, he was currently using them to stay afloat. Finally, after several moments of suppressed growls, he hit upon a possible solution.

There was a small table next to the door, upon which a fancifully sculpted candle holder sat, the candle burning smokeless and never seeming to melt. It was just high enough that he could stand on the edge and reach up with an ear to nudge the portrait out of position. With some careful maneuvering, that was exactly what he did.

Several minutes later, Patamon found himself gliding soundlessly down the dark hallways of the castle. He had to resist the urge to shiver and zip directly back to the room he shared with TK. The walls around him seemed almost alive, and Patamon could have sword they were making the fur behind his ears itch. Was it something about the magical 'wards' that hid the castle from the view of all those without magic?

'_Really, the lengths I go to make sure that TK's safe,'_ he thought sourly, shaking his head in hopes of getting rid of the annoying tingle. _'That Dumbledore man might be good, but he sure hasn't told us everything. I just know that there's something going on that he's hiding from us – and I **will** find out what it is.' _

Peering around the corner of a wall, Patamon confirmed that there was no one currently in the hallway he was planning on exploring, and then took a quick right, barely avoiding flying straight into a suit of armor that seemed strategically placed to catch the unwary off guard_. 'Then again,'_ he thought suspiciously, _'it just might have been. This castle gives me the major creepers.' _

Once again, Patamon allowed himself to be grateful to whatever digital-god that had blessed him with his large ears. The ease with which he flew through the halls made him far faster and quieter than he would have been, were he crawling. Even better, was that much like a bat, they detected the unnoticeable vibrations in the air that told him when he was approaching a person or an object.

Now for instance, he could tell that there was a small creature stalking silently along the floor of the hallway…

With a squeak, Patamon's flight ground to an abrupt halt, as he found himself gazing into the luminous slit-pupilled eyes of a cat.

"Meow?"

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"Damn them all!" The exquisite crystal of his wine goblet was shattered with a loud tinkle, as he threw the object into his fireplace in a fit of rage. The man paid no head to the destruction of property. It was not as though it was a irreplaceable object. Right now, his fury was all encompassing however, and the glass had a small price to pay, in the face of what he would be doing to his servants, incompetents that they were.

Of all the misbegotten, idiotic, useless fools! False information! They had sent him false information! With all the good that had done him, he might as well not have a spy within the council! It would have been better if he'd not acted at all – it was far more likely that the boy would have remained lost within the forest, rather than finding his way to those who could be his allies. The man growled, stalking over to the far wall, which was covered by an oversized bookcase, filled with countless tomes and objects of power.

There was the item he was searching for. A shriveled looking hand, the skin pulled tight over claw-like fingers, the appendage, which had been hacked off of some pathetic soul's arm at the wrist, was holding a wicked looking knife. A large opal graced the handle, and the stone was smeared with rusty stains – dried blood from previous uses.

On the wall near the bookcase was a birdcage, filled with several doves. Wasting no time, the man opened the cage, extracting a bird and slicing open its neck on the blade of the knife. He flipped the weapon over, rubbing the pommel-stone over the welling blood till it was thoroughly coated. The opal lit from within with an orange light, and the man allowed himself a small feeling of satisfaction as the corpse of the dove struggled weakly up in the palm of his hand, glassy dead eyes watching him.

"Go," he hissed at the creature. Sickly orange light emanated from the blood at the bird's throat, covering up the blood. When it faded away, all that could be seen were pristine white feathers. "Go to the castle, and watch my enemies. And deliver this to the boy. It does not matter which." He slipped an ornately decorated gold ring onto the leg of the dove. Turning to the window, he pushed it open, releasing the dove into the night air. His spells would sustain it for as long as he needed.

But for now, there were other matters of importance to take care of. His servants would not be relaxing tonight, or many other nights to come. Voldemort was not pleased – and he would be sure that his displeasure was magnified with every one of his Death Eaters upon whom he chose to mete out punishment.

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**Review Responses**:

**Draic**: Yeah, just one of those…blah sort of chapters, where decisions have to be made. I tried to at least have some plot development – and make it different from the way everyone and their dog introduces new characters to Hogwarts at least. I hope it turned out okay. Glad to hear that Alternate Fantasy is coming along! :D

**Mysterious Bearer of Life**: -Jumps Back- Ok, I heard the shout! I must update! -holds heroic pose-. Ahem…sorry about that. Hopefully this chapter meets with your approval. Thanks for the review!

**Firehedgehog**: Great to hear from you! I'll keep on trying to put out chapters without extremely long waits.

**cherri88**: I'm glad you like it so far. I do try, but sometimes I worry that things aren't turning out in a coherent, interesting way. Thanks for the shout out! :)

**nunofyorbiz**: It's nice to hear things are turning out well so far. I was considering bringing the DD in later, but… unless I have a major plot change, it probably won't happen. In the earlier chapters, I already explained why out of all of them, TK was the one best suited (and able) to go. Throwing in the DD could weaken my back-story, and have things get kind of crowded character-wise. I might have some special appearances though…


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